Priced at $399 and available throughout most of the world on July 12, the Hero4 Session is half the size and 40% lighter than the existing Hero4 line of cameras. It was designed to be much more simple than other GoPros, with a single button that starts and stops recording. It’s also meant to mount on objects, like bicycle spokes, that are too small to hold current Hero4s. It works with all existing GoPro mounts.

As soon as my obsession for finding sea caves started, I was hoping I would find a location to take a shot like this. I can't tell you how excited I was when I saw this shot on the back of my camera. Definitely an amazing night. I've used all sorts of resources to help find new caves to shoot. Anywhere from Google Maps, a simple image search, to spending the afternoon walking up and down the coast looking for spots with potential. It can certainly be a lot of work, but it's definitely worth it. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Jack also offers workshops if you'd like to learn the secrets of night photography.

Ever since we first heard of the X3 Quattro chip, we've been debating precisely how to describe it on our site. Foveon's chips have always defied categorization in terms of the not-so-humble megapixel, but more than ever that's true with the Quattro image sensor. … But now, things have taken an even more complex turn. … We now have, essentially, no meaningful way to describe this sensor or the cameras on which it is based in terms of pixel resolution.

The dp3 Quattro won't suit everyday snapshooters and may not be ideal for some photo enthusiasts. It's even more ponderous to use than its dp2 Quattro sibling and the raw conversion software, though capable, is quirky. But that Foveon sensor is hard to beat if you're after rich colour rendition plus detail that rivals the best DSLRs we've reviewed.

http://boingboing.net/2015/06/10/sigmas-latest-compact-camera.html/feed0Lily is a new type of drone camerahttp://boingboing.net/2015/06/08/lily-is-a-new-type-of-drone-ca.html
http://boingboing.net/2015/06/08/lily-is-a-new-type-of-drone-ca.html#commentsMon, 08 Jun 2015 13:34:26 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=394601This adorable little drone is a potentially revolutionary camera whose creators claim can fly itself. All you need to do is toss the camera into the air, and it does the rest of the work to capture your actions on film.]]>

This adorable little drone is a potentially revolutionary camera whose creators claim can fly itself. All you need to do is toss the camera into the air, and it does the rest of the work to capture your actions on film. It works by following a tracking device held by the operator, but you can set Lily to shoot from various angles to get specific "cinematic" shots. This promo video gives a sense of what the camera will be able to do:

You can learn more on the Lily website, where the camera is currently available for pre-order.]]>http://boingboing.net/2015/06/08/lily-is-a-new-type-of-drone-ca.html/feed0What's the widest lens you can put on a Micro Four Thirds camera?http://boingboing.net/2015/05/05/did-i-find-the-widest-lens-for.html
http://boingboing.net/2015/05/05/did-i-find-the-widest-lens-for.html#commentsTue, 05 May 2015 21:48:12 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=385601The standard MFT sensor has half the dimensions of a full-frame camera's, so a 50mm lens yields a field of view equivalent to a 100mm lens. This makes it tough to get a genuinely wide look at the action.

There's a lot of vintage glass for C-mount cine cameras that would do the trick, but while they cover Super16-size sensors (such as those found on the Blackmagic Pocket Camera and the Digital Bolex) their image circles don't make it to the corners on MFT.

Bear in mind that the Blackmagic Cinema Camera's sensor is slightly smaller than standard MFT. The crop factor is 2.39, rather than 2, meaning that that 50mm lens would have a 120mm-equivalent field of view.

Though the BMCC produces exquisitely filmlike footage, this peculiarity means we get the worst of both worlds when it comes to shooting wide. Old-timey cine glass doesn't cover its sensor, but modern lenses are cropped even more sharply than usual.

It's hard to find MFT prime lenses much wider than 12mm or so (SLR Magic, Rokinon, Olympus), which gives us a 28mm-equivalent field of view. Panasonic makes a 7-14mm zoom, but it's f4 and $1000 and won't work right on the BMCC's passive mount. Rokinon (also branded as Samyang) sells a 7.5mm fisheye, but it's not much faster. The tightest safe bet seems to be the 10mm Rokinon—still 24mm-equivalent on the Blackmagic.

But what if I told you there was a 6mm non-fisheye lens that provided total coverage of the sensor, and is f1.8 to boot? That provides a genuinely ultra-wide viewing angle, equivalent to 14mm on full-frame sensors.

It's the Kowa LM6HC 1" 6mm CCTV lens, found for about $500 or so. It's c-mount, so you'll need an adapter. I had to try three before I found one that permitted the Kowa to focus to infinity. One from a reputable manufacturer such as Metabones might be the best bet.

I'm quite happy with the results! Here are three still frames from the BMCC, shot in RAW 2.5k and output here as 1600x900 high-quality JPEGs.

The lens has shortcomings. It's not fisheye, but it is distorted. The bulging glass means there's no easy way to mount filters (it doesn't even have a thread, so the obvious trick of stacking step-up rings won't work). The aperture and focus rings are fiddly. It's obviously a well-engineered gadget, but just as obviously intended for machine vision rather than cinematography.

Here's video, with some other lenses, on the BMCC. You'll know it when you see it. The other lenses are a 12.5mm Fujinon, a 17.5mm Voigtlander, a 35mm Fujian, and a 56mm Helios 44-2.

The question, now, is whether it covers a full-size MFT sensor, too. Could you use it on a GH4? Why yes, you can!

Here are some 6mm videos by others using the (smaller-sensor) Blackmagic Pocket

Over the past decade I've been annoyed with traditional camera straps that go around your neck or diagonally across the body.

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Over the past decade I've been annoyed with traditional camera straps that go around your neck or diagonally across the body. I've tried retro looking 70s camera straps, sling straps, and eventually just carried my camera in a bag and didn't use anything to secure the camera. I found this to be a surprisingly good solution, but I still wanted some safety measure in case the camera got knocked out of my hand.

I got the Gordy Lug-Mount Wrist Strap for Christmas as a gift along with the optional wrist pad, and it's proven extremely secure, non-restrictive, and also doesn't look like a disposable nylon cargo strap. This camera strap is guaranteed to increase sexual potency by 7%. Also it will most likely keep your camera on your wrist and off the ground.

$170 gets you an earlybird deal (limited quantites); $190 gets you one at full-price.

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Danny sez, "Lumera is an open-hardware, open source prototype that plugs into your fancy SLR camera, connects to your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth, and lets you automatically upload pictures to sites like Flickr or a USB backup, change your camera settings like focus or ISO settings, or run timelapsed photograph sessions."

$170 gets you an earlybird deal (limited quantites); $190 gets you one at full-price.

HTC says the Re Camera is easier to use than your smartphone because you don't have to frame a shot or worry about opening a camera app before you take pictures. Its ultra-wide lens is supposed to capture everything in the scene for you, so you don't miss anything. And since you're not staring at your phone to take the pictures, you can still enjoy what's going on while you preserve memories for later.

But after using a pre-production version of the Re Camera, I'm not convinced that it's a better option than just using your smartphone to take pictures.

BNSFME put a GoPro camera on a train tack. If you can't handle the suspense, forward to 1:00. (via Laughing Squid)]]>

http://boingboing.net/2014/10/02/video-camera-on-train-tracks.html/feed0Photos: Comparing the iPhone 6 camera to previous iPhone camerashttp://boingboing.net/2014/09/24/photos-comparing-the-iphone-6.html
http://boingboing.net/2014/09/24/photos-comparing-the-iphone-6.html#commentsWed, 24 Sep 2014 19:01:31 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=333844
SnapSnapSnap, makers of the popular photo editing app CameraPlus, have a killer post with side-by-side-by-side-by-side image comparisons of shots from all iterations of the iPhone camera.]]>

SnapSnapSnap, makers of the popular photo editing app CameraPlus, have a killer post with side-by-side-by-side-by-side image comparisons of shots from all iterations of the iPhone camera.

"Besides being faster to shoot and easier to focus, the images taken with the iPhone 6 camera show greater detail and are significantly better in low-light," writes Lisa Bettany.

"In this follow-up post to my iPhone 4s and iPhone 5 comparisons, I present an 8 iPhone comparison from all iPhone versions taken with Camera+ including, the original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, and the new iPhone 6 in a variety of situations to test the camera’s capabilities."

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http://boingboing.net/2014/09/24/photos-comparing-the-iphone-6.html/feed0Attempted gunpoint robbery of cyclist recorded on helmet camerahttp://boingboing.net/2014/09/17/attempted-gunpoint-robbery-of.html
http://boingboing.net/2014/09/17/attempted-gunpoint-robbery-of.html#commentsWed, 17 Sep 2014 13:46:17 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=332276At first, cyclist Mike Graziano thought he was merely avoiding a collision with an inattentive motorcyclist. When the man cut him off again, though--and produced what looked like a handgun--the scenario became clear.]]>

At first, cyclist Mike Graziano thought he was merely avoiding a collision with an inattentive motorcyclist. When the man cut him off again, though--and produced what looked like a handgun--the scenario became clear.

"I was on a bike tour in a rough part of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in broad daylight when a thief attempted to steal my camera gear at gunpoint," wrote Graziano. "I miraculously happened to be recording with a gopro on my forehead and captured this amazing piece of footage!"

Graziano was in Argentina as part of a cycling tour of 195 countries he'd kickstarted to march "into the most 'dangerous' areas on earth and will surprise everybody with the level of welcoming and gracious people they meet, leading to a serious evaluation of the assumptions we make about nations."

Protip for robbers: learn the English words for things you would like to possess.]]>

Panasonic's CM1 weds a 1-inch camera sensor (as found in high-end point-and-shoots like the Sony RX100 and Canon's just-announced G7X) with a smartphone running Android 4.4.

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Panasonic's CM1 weds a 1-inch camera sensor (as found in high-end point-and-shoots like the Sony RX100 and Canon's just-announced G7X) with a smartphone running Android 4.4.

It has a fixed f/2.8 Leica lens, a mechanical shutter and a control ring, reports The Verge's Vlad Savov, and at 21mm thick, is clearly intended as a camera-with-a-phone rather than a phone-with-a-camera. It'll be 900 Euro, with no plans yet to release in the U.S.

Also announced by Panasonic was the LX100, a small camera with an even larger Micro Four Thirds sensor. It's fixed-lens, though, and conspicuously bigger and heavier other high-end point-and-shoots (and even Panasonic's GM1, a highly-rated MFT compact with interchangeable lenses), so it perhaps compares more to pro compacts such as the RX1 and Fuji's X series. It has a sub-$1000 price tag, though, and 4K video.

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http://boingboing.net/2014/09/16/panasonics-cm1-an-android-s.html/feed0Rubber DSLR camera necklace/USB drivehttp://boingboing.net/2014/08/29/rubber-dslr-camera-necklaceus.html
http://boingboing.net/2014/08/29/rubber-dslr-camera-necklaceus.html#commentsFri, 29 Aug 2014 16:00:58 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=328042
This adorable camera necklace is also a 4GB flash drive. It comes in Canon, Nikon, and Sony, and is made from lightweight rubber by Etsy seller Tuesdays and Fridays, who charges $28 for it (the 8GB version is $33).]]>
This adorable camera necklace is also a 4GB flash drive. It comes in Canon, Nikon, and Sony, and is made from lightweight rubber by Etsy seller Tuesdays and Fridays, who charges $28 for it (the 8GB version is $33). (via Geekymerch)
]]>http://boingboing.net/2014/08/29/rubber-dslr-camera-necklaceus.html/feed0Polaroid Cube: small, cute action camerahttp://boingboing.net/2014/08/12/polaroid-cube-small-cute-act.html
http://boingboing.net/2014/08/12/polaroid-cube-small-cute-act.html#commentsTue, 12 Aug 2014 14:30:25 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=323974
1080-line video, 124° viewing angle, and 90 minutes of battery life. From the demo video, I doubt the quality will be up there with the GoPro and equivalents, but it's a cool design and looks like a lot of no-nonsense fun, with all sorts of mounting options.

Tim Moynihan: "The most incredible super-slow-motion videos you’ve ever seen were probably shot with one of Vision Research’s Phantom cameras. They’re as high-speed as they are high-priced; past models have cost more than $100,000 and shot video at frame rates up to 22,000 frames per second at 1,280 x 800 resolution and a million frames per second at a teeny tiny 128x32 resolution."]]>

Lock Laces: $8Shoelace replacements that save valuable seconds from your life every time you put on shoes that require shoelaces. Also great for people with special physical needs, including seniors, upper limb amputees, or people with neuromuscular diseases like ALS or MS that can make fine hand movements tough.

The Picklemeister: $15A foolproof jar and air-lock kit that comes in various sizes, for beginner home-pickling enthusiasts who are afraid to mess up their first try at sauerkraut.

Rainbow Loom: $15A simple, $15 rubber band loom absorbs my seven year old daughter’s time. Simple to get started with, children can increase difficulty at their own rate by learning new patterns. The Rainbow Loom also seems to have led to a gift-economy in my daughter’s community. Beware you’ll need more rubber bands!

Standard Horizon STD-HX370S VHF Marine Radio: $140This submersible, handheld marine VHF radio is handy for the paranoid open water kayaker. In addition to all US, Canuckistani and “International” channels, this radio supports the NOAA weather channels as well. Rechargeable battery and charger are included.

Garmin vivofit: $130A fitness tracker with a 1-year battery. It’s also waterproof do you never have to take it off. Monitors steps, distance, sleep, calories burned. Better than the Jawbone up, which requires you to look at your app to track progress, and requires you to plug in to charge and sync.

Thinkgeek's Security Camera Birdfeeder ($15.99) is a bit of gallows humor for the post-Snowden age. Feed animals in your yard while they perch unwittingly into an icon of the corporate-government surveillance apparatus, and try not to think about the CCTVs -- metaphorical and literal -- watching you as you watch them.

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Thinkgeek's Security Camera Birdfeeder ($15.99) is a bit of gallows humor for the post-Snowden age. Feed animals in your yard while they perch unwittingly into an icon of the corporate-government surveillance apparatus, and try not to think about the CCTVs -- metaphorical and literal -- watching you as you watch them. Then ask yourself: "Who's the birdbrain around here?"

This waterproof resin birdhouse or bird feeder is shaped just like a closed-circuit TV camera. You (and your cat) can keep an eye on the "lens" to watch Bird TV. Aim the camera for your front door, and burglars who aren't paying too much attention may be dissuaded. That is, until it starts chirping. Then all bets are off.

http://boingboing.net/2014/05/27/surveillance-camera-bird-feede.html/feed0Blackmagic adds more pro cameras at market-nuking priceshttp://boingboing.net/2014/04/14/blackmagic-adds-more-pro-camer.html
http://boingboing.net/2014/04/14/blackmagic-adds-more-pro-camer.html#commentsMon, 14 Apr 2014 12:45:33 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=297344Blackmagic's trick is to make cameras with great cinematic image quality at a relatively inexpensive price. The tradeoff is gear that is Satan's gift to ergonomics, with low-end audio inputs, terrible battery life and a limited set of features.]]>

Blackmagic's trick is to make cameras with great cinematic image quality at a relatively inexpensive price. The tradeoff is gear that is Satan's gift to ergonomics, with low-end audio inputs, terrible battery life and a limited set of features. Enter the Blackmagic Studio Camera, which includes a big 10" monitor, 4 hours on a charge, XLR inputs, and broadcast-friendly features lacking in the earlier models. With the offered grip accessory, one may even hold it with a human hand! The game-changing prices remain: it's just under $2k, with a 4K version for $3k. You'll still need to bring your own lenses and SSDs.

Also announced is the Blackmagic URSA, a higher-end model with a super35-size 4k sensor aimed at professional feature use. At $6k, it isn't as affordable to students and consumers as the other models (especially the $990 pocket cinema camera), but it compares well on paper to the five-figure price tags hanging off similar gear from Canon, Sony and others. ]]>

In 1972, Polaroid introduced its iconic SX-70 camera. It was an evolutionary leap from the groundbreaking "Land Camera" invented in 1947 by Polaroid co-founder Edwin H.

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In 1972, Polaroid introduced its iconic SX-70 camera. It was an evolutionary leap from the groundbreaking "Land Camera" invented in 1947 by Polaroid co-founder Edwin H. Land (image right). LIFE has posted a gorgeous gallery of SX-70 photos from a time when instant photography was still in the realm of magic. The shots were taken by LIFE photographer Co Rentmeester who had a chance to put the SX-70 through its paces before it was available for purchase. #nofilter]]>

http://boingboing.net/2014/04/10/early-polaroid-sx-70-photos-fr.html/feed0Sony's camerashttp://boingboing.net/2014/01/24/sonys-amazing-cameras.html
http://boingboing.net/2014/01/24/sonys-amazing-cameras.html#commentsFri, 24 Jan 2014 14:41:58 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=282674Sony's amazing large-sensor compact cameras, which have done much to reestablish the company's reputation for cutting-edge consumer electronics.]]>Sony's amazing large-sensor compact cameras, which have done much to reestablish the company's reputation for cutting-edge consumer electronics. As John Gruber points out, they even supply the camera guts for iPhones (and other competitors, such as Samsung)]]>http://boingboing.net/2014/01/24/sonys-amazing-cameras.html/feed0Taking pictures of the Rolling Stones with the 'best pocket camera ever made'http://boingboing.net/2013/12/23/taking-pictures-of-the-rolling.html
http://boingboing.net/2013/12/23/taking-pictures-of-the-rolling.html#commentsTue, 24 Dec 2013 00:48:19 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=276143A few months ago I saw the mighty, ever-reigning dinosaur kings of rock, the Rolling Stones. I had a general admission ticket and a small pocket camera, and arrived many hours early so I could worm my way to the front.

It was a thunderous, spellbinding show. Keith, Ronnie and Darryl didn’t miss a note, Charlie didn’t miss a beat, and Mick preened and darted around the vast arena like a man one-third his age. Smirking hipsters dismiss the Stones for being old (how dare they!), for lacking modern relevance, and/or for cynically milking their fans for every last dollar. Whatever. That night I saw a band that cared deeply about its creations and its legacy. These were guys whose wealth long ago freed them from any chore they’d rather avoid. They spent that and every other show night exerting themselves to the limit to create their spectacle.

I’ve seen the Stones several times over the years, but this was the first time I brought a camera. The smartphone tsunami has forced concert promoters to give up their long-running battle against fan photos. Fancy SLRs are still prohibited at lots of shows. But apart from a few hardline reactionaries like Prince, most performers let their audiences go hog wild with pocket cameras and cellphones.

But what I really want to draw your attention to are the awesome capabilities you can now find in a pocket camera. With extreme lighting, fast-moving subjects, and chaotic settings, live concerts present photographers with many challenges. I hope the shots I'm sharing in this post show you that you can now achieve impressive results in the trickiest environments with the lightest of hardware. At the bottom of this post you’ll find a link to much larger versions of the photos, which will give you a better sense of their quality.

My belated gift suggestion for avid photographers at ANY level of expertise is the Sony RX-100, with which I took all of these shots. It comes in two flavors: the original RX-100 (which dates back to mid-2012) and its ingeniously named successor, the RX-100 II. I can usually be convinced to upgrade to any new version of my favorite gizmos. But even as a rabid RX-100 fan, I sat out the new version, and suggest you do the same. The specs are barely improved, yet the new version will run you a couple hundred dollars more. You have to love someone a lot to buy them even the dowdy old original, which is about $500. But it’s a breathtaking piece of technology.

I bought mine shortly after it first came out, when the David Pogue--a reviewer not prone to hyperbole, at least not for products by makers other than Apple--began a New York Times piece with the words, “This is a review of the best pocket camera ever made.” Eighteen months later, I believe his introduction remains largely accurate. The RX-100 has many superpowers. And one of the most important ones might strike some people as obscure: its ability to shoot images in the RAW format.

Thousands of carefully chosen words can be written about RAW, but the Cliff Notes are that it gives unbelievable after-the-fact control over the tone and quality of light in an image. Harnessing this power requires sophisticated software, and I’m a huge fan of Lightroom by Adobe. This will run you about a hundred bucks, but (much more significantly) I’d say you should expect to spend about a hundred hours truly mastering it. The good news is that you can spread this over a year or more, because you’ll start achieving amazing things almost immediately, and the complete learning process will be a joy to anyone who loves engaging in digital images. I’ve read plenty of Lightroom books over the years, and the by-far best in my view is Scott Kelby’s. If you steadily work your way through this gem, testing out everything he discusses, you will gradually become a true Lightroom ninja. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

That journey should absolutely include smuggling your camera into every concert that you attend. If you’re interested in this sort of thing, you should absolutely read this detailed and articulate discussion of concert photography and hardware (including the RX-100) by Jason DeBord. Jason’s wonderful blog features a constant procession of shows that he documents using both professional and civilian camera gear.

I absolutely recommend the RX-100 and similar cameras to photographers at any level, including pros with enough fancy gear to fill a Hummer. I have a wonderful, cumbersome SLR that takes stunning images, but I wouldn’t want to lug it into 90% of the environments I inhabit from day to day. It’s a truism that the best camera for any situation is the one that you happen to have with you at the time. Usually, this will be your cellphone. If you’re lucky enough to go on a safari, you may be lucky enough to own a Canon 7D, and you should absolutely pack it. But for those in-between situations that call for both fabulous imagery and super-portable technology, high-end pocket cameras are really starting to deliver the goods. And as with all things tech-related, you can expect today’s top-of-the-line performance to migrate into bargain prices within a few years.

Incidentally, is it just me, or does it look like Charlie is about to be swallowed by a gigantic Stones logo up there? The things you can do with a Jumbotron these days…

Anyway – if you enjoy these images, I’ve posted much larger versions of them and dozens of others in this SmugMug photo album. Click on the large image on the right side of the screen to see it in ultra-big form, and then navigate through the album using your arrow keys.

After a hit kickstarter and more than a year of development, the Digital Bolex is ready for lights, camera, and action. With RAW recording, interchangeable lenses, a Super 16-size sensor and built-in storage, it's got a similar pitch to Blackmagic's Cinema Camera: much more cinematic footage than consumer camcorders can produce, but much less expensive than standard pro-grade gear. While the Blackmagic needs to be accessorized to be useful, though, the Digital Bolex's old-school pistol-grip form, built-in SSD and XLR mic inputs make it easier to just head out and shoot great footage.

The fly in Bolex's ointment might be the new Blackmagic Pocket, which is the size of a point-and-shoot and relatively cheap. When caged up for stability and sound, though, its advantages disappear fast.

Pricing starts at $3,300 for a 256GB model, which puts the Bolex firmly into semipro territory. I'm convinced that the all-in-one package will be hugely appealing to indies and run-and-gun types, though–anyone who has fussed around with unwieldy DSLR rigs will understand why!

http://boingboing.net/2013/12/17/digital-bolex-d16-fantastic-i.html/feed0Pro director reviews Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camerahttp://boingboing.net/2013/12/02/pro-director-reviews-blackmagi.html
http://boingboing.net/2013/12/02/pro-director-reviews-blackmagi.html#commentsMon, 02 Dec 2013 17:49:11 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=271712
I received the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, and spent a couple of days putting the camera through its paces around Manhattan.]]>

I received the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, and spent a couple of days putting the camera through its paces around Manhattan. Note that this is not a DSLR. There is no still component. It's a straight up video camera for someone who has a post-production workflow.

I'm impressed with its latitude and its low noise floor. While not as amazing as the 5D in extreme low-light, I found the 800-1600 ASA to be impressive. The footage was all shot at 23.976FPS on the FILM (log ProRes HQ) setting. Shutter angle set to 144 degrees, and at all of the ASAs available. 200, 400, 800, 1600.

The camera's time lapse function is extremely handy and simple to implement. The camera builds the time-lapse for you and it's viewable in playback mode.

I filmed with a set of Lumix lenses (7-14mm f4, 12-35 f2.8 w IS, a 14mm f2.8 pancake and the Bower 7.5mm.

All MFT lenses. I did use a Tiffen Variable ND when possible to open up the iris.
The magic really unfolded for us in color grading. So if you have a post workflow that definitely includes time with DaVinci Resolve, this camera is worth checking out.

I found it to be a fantastic roaming/B-roll camera. My friend, DP Norman Bonney came to the telecine session and felt that the pixel feel will complement RED/Alexa shoots.

The incredibly low profile makes it easy to get around with one shoulder bag of lenses, a cardellini or two and more than a few batteries. I do a lot of shoots where a small footprint is important.

Special thank you to Norman Bonney for inspiration, Ayumi Ashley for her colorful eye, editors Joel White and Luke Shock at Remedy for creative editorial and technical experimentation and my friend Jeff Wilk for being a patient model on the Acela Express.

Note that the RAW option came out the week after I filmed, so I did not experiment with it on this shoot. Likewise, I did not spend much time in the Video setting.

Panasonic's Lumix GX7, released last month, stuffed high-end features (including in-body stabilization, WiFi and 24fps video, a rarity in Micro Four Thirds models) into a body rather lighter than other high-end models.

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Panasonic's Lumix GX7, released last month, stuffed high-end features (including in-body stabilization, WiFi and 24fps video, a rarity in Micro Four Thirds models) into a body rather lighter than other high-end models. I didn't go for it, though, because it's still just a bit too chunky for my lazy tastes. I want something barely a smidgen larger than a point-and-shoot, that I can screw all my MFT lenses into, and which has the same rangefindery good looks as Fujifilm's X-series models.

Enter the $750 Lumix GM1, which seems to offer all of this, albeit with some compromises. Shooting 16mp RAW stills at up to ISO 25,600, it has focus peaking, WiFi image transfer and a 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom that retracts electronically to pancake-length when turned off.

There's a remote control app for Android and iOS, and it shoots 24/60 fps 1080-line video (25/60 in PAL-LAND). There's also a silent operation mode, pop-up flash and the usual complement of filters and creative options. But there's no shoe, no viewfinder, and like the GX7, it lacks external mic and headphone jacks.

According to this image on Panasonic's official website, it even comes in the 70s brown leather trim so critical to my photographic technique.
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Sony's built a reputation for making small camera with great image quality, with large-sensor models like the RX1 and RX100 leaving the competition–and our wallets–in pain.

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Sony's built a reputation for making small camera with great image quality, with large-sensor models like the RX1 and RX100 leaving the competition–and our wallets–in pain. The latest models? A superzoom, and the full-frame interchangeable-lens compact that fans have been waiting for.

The CyberShot RX10 (left) has the same 20.2-megapixel one-inch sensor as the smaller RX100 mkII, but adds a constant f2.8 superzoom lens that would be equivalent to a 24-200mm on a full-frame camera. It shoots macro to 3cm, records 1080p HD video at 60 and 24fps, and Sony claims a fast autofocus. The lens has a manual aperture that can be declicked for video (there's also a proper mic jack, unlike the RX100s), and it, like today's other new model, has WiFi, NFC, and Sony's new accessory hotshoe.

It shoots 1080p movies at 60 and 24 frames per second, outputs uncompressed HDMI, and has an external mic jack--good news for videographers, too.

The 7 is $2000 (or $1700 without a lens); a premium version, the Alpha 7r, has a 36.3 megapixel sensor, no low-pass filter, and a $2300 price tag.

Minuses? There are a couple. The $2k+ price tag is steep, and the relatively limited selection of full-frame E-mount lenses will have to grow fast. To start, there'll be the kit option, 24-70mm and 70-200m f4 zooms, and 35mm/f2.8, 55mm/f1.8 and 200mm/f4 primes.

Compact cameras usually involve significant compromises; the 7R looks like the most potent challenge to pro DSLRs yet. The RX10, though, seems too steep at $1300: lots of top-end micro4/3 models lurking in that price range, and once you're paying that much anyway, it seems a short leap to a used RX1.

Sony's minsucule QX Lens Camera offers the specs of its high-end RX100 point-and-shoot--a 1" sensor and Zeiss F1.8 glass--but clips right onto a smartphone. It hooks up with an iOS or Android app, via WiFi or NFC, thereby letting you use the phone as the camera's viewscreen. (There's an even smaller version, too, though its sensor and lens aren't as good; you may as well just get a Nokia 1020.)

I rather like the idea of a tiny, high-end camera that can just clip-on to anything--cellphone, webcam, helmet, bike, etc. But the RX100 is already small enough, has more features, and is only a little more expensive. At $500 for the version worth buying, that QX is a pretty penny. ]]>

http://boingboing.net/2013/09/05/sony-qx-attachable-lens-style.html/feed03D printed open SLR camerahttp://boingboing.net/2013/07/09/3d-printed-open-dlsr.html
http://boingboing.net/2013/07/09/3d-printed-open-dlsr.html#commentsTue, 09 Jul 2013 18:00:45 +0000http://boingboing.net/?p=241381
Bozardeux, a recent French graduate and Instructables user, has undertaken a project to make an open, 3D printed DSLR camera. All the parts and designs are licensed CC Attibution-ShareAlike.]]>
Bozardeux, a recent French graduate and Instructables user, has undertaken a project to make an open, 3D printed DSLR camera. All the parts and designs are licensed CC Attibution-ShareAlike.

The OpenReflex is an Open-Source analog camera with a mirror Viewfinder and an awesome finger activated mechanic shutter (running ~ 1/60°s). What's more, it's compatible with any photographic lens with custom mount ring.

All the pieces easily printable on any recent RepRap-like ABS 3D-printer without using support material ! Everything should print in less than 15h and anyone should be able to assemble it within 1h.

All parts are separate ( Film receiver, Shutter and Viewfinder ) to simplify builds and modifications.
The source files are available under the CreativeCommon By-Sa license, fell free to modify them if you want a new feature, and don't forget to share your improvements on the web ;)